Knitting machine



Jan. 4, 1938. R. H. LAWSON 2,104,232

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. \14, 1953 6 She ets-Sheet 1 RaBERTH LA Wm;

Jan. 4, 1938. R. H. LAWSON 3,104,232v

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 1933 6, sheets-sheet 2 RMEBTH LAT/V5011 By (2 0 I f/YVE'NTOZE: L

Jan. 4, 1938. I LAWSON 2,104,232

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. '14, 1933 6 Sheets-shat 3 WW3. i

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S- o S I w Q c FoBERTHL A TTy Jan. 4, 1938. R. H. LAWSON I 2,104,232

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. l4, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 B fi. W Y I y 6/2377 ATTy Jan. 4, 1938. R. H. LAWSON.

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 MTM I JNVEAUWR f? 03527" H 1A W5 0 V,

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Jan. 4, 1938. R. H. LAWSON 2,194,232

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. l4, 1933 6- Sheets-Sheet 6 f/VVEN'ZWR JPOBERTHLA W501i;

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Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNITTING-MACHINE V Application September 14, 1933, Serial No. 689,449

19 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for wrapping threads around selected needles being an improvement upon the mechanism shown in the Lawson patent 1,702,608, February 19, 1929.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation ofthe knitting head and main cam shaft for controlling the knitting operations;

Fig. 2 is a view in side' elevation showing the driving connections between the needle cylinder and the .wrapping mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a view in plan and partly in section showing the wrapping mechanism and its relation to the needles;

Fig, 4 is a plan view partly broken away showing the train of gears for rotating the bobbin stand and wrapping mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view in section showing yarn tension mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view showing thread tension mechanism, the view being taken along line 6-6, Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a detail view in vertical section of the wrapping head;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the entire wrapping head;

Fig. 9 is an inverted plan view of the wrapping head;

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the thread wrapping 30 elements employed;

Fig. 11 is a developed view of the cam mechanism for controlling the sliding movements of the wrapping elements shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a more or less diagrammatic view 35 showing the wrapping head and its relation to selected needles to be wrapped; and

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary plan view showing the wrapping head in its relation to the so-called binder plate.

The needle cylinder I is mounted in a socalled circular base 2 upon an extension of which is mounted a yarn lever box 3 having levers 4 mounted therein for acting upon the yarn levers 5 for the purpose of elevating them to an inop- 45 erative position, all as usual in machines of the type disclosed in the said Lawson patent. Also mounted upon the extension of the circular base is a drum .6 having mounted upon its'surface or periphery cams such as 6' for selectively acting upon levers I which are pivoted intermediate their ends as at 8. The other ends of the levers I act upon other levers 9 which are also pivoted intermediate their ends as at ID, the free ends of said levers 9 engaging cams II for the purpose of moving them to or from a position,

adjacent to the needle cylinder I, in which position the said cams II or selected ones of them act upon frangible butts I2 provided on jacks I3. The jacks I3 are mounted within tricks of the needle cylinder below the needles I4 which have butts I4, and selected jacks I3 when raised by their cams I I elevate their companion needles I4 to such a position as to be wrapped by threads I5--22- inclusive. The butts I4 of the needles which are elevated by jacks I3 are raised'to a position on the underside of the guard cam 23 and, after the needles are wrapped by their companion threads, are depressed by a portion of the guard cam indicated by 23', the butts thereafter passing along the path indicated by the dot and dash line 24.

For the purpose of wrapping selected needles, a wrapping head 25 is provided, the same being mounted upon a hollow slotted shaft 26 for rotary movements therewith. A tapered screw or bolt 26' is inserted in threaded engagement with the internally threaded hollow portion of the shaft 26, the tapered bolt 26' thereby expanding the hollow, slotted portion of the shaft 26 thus holding the said shaft in clamping engagement with the head 25. The shaft 23 is mounted in suitable bearings carried by a bracket 21 and at its upper end has mounted thereon a bobbin stand 28 upon which are mounted a series of. bobbins 29, the threads I5-22 being supplied by the bobbins. Above the bobbin stand 28 and fixed to the shaft 26 is a thread tension plate 30 upon which are mounted a series of thread tension members such as 3| each of which includes an arm 32 having an eyelet therein through which the thread passes, the thread passing through said eyelet from a bobbin 29 and from the eyelet between tension discs 33 forming part of the tension member 3|, one such disc being held yieldingly against the other as by a coil spring 34. The threads pass from between the tension discs 33 down through openings 35 in the tension plate 30 and between two other tension discs 36 similar to the discs 33, the threads passing downwardly from the discs 36 through eyelets in the arms 31. From said eyelets the threads pass downwardly through eyelets (Fig. 5) provided in arms 38 and thence more or less upwardly through eyelets provided in tension levers 39 and then downwardly through porcelain or other eyelets 40 mounted adjacent to the axis of the bobbin stand 28. From there the wrap threads pass through an opening 4| in a wrapping head 25 and finally through longitudinally disposed holes 42 in thread wrapping e m n s .3. 44.

The shaft 26 as well as the bobbin stand 28 and the wrapping head 25 connected thereto are rotated in timed relation, preferably one and one, with the needle cylinder l by means of a gear 45, fixed to rotate with the needle cylinder, which gear meshes with a pinion 46 fixed to the lower end of a shaft 47, keyed to the tlpper end of which is a second gear 48 which meshes with an intermediate 49 in turn meshing with another gear 50 the latter being in mesh with a gear 5| which is fixed to the shaft 26. For the purpose of permitting the bobbin stand, wrapping head, etc. to be adjustably positioned with respect to the needle circle, arms of the bracket 21 are slotted at 52 and 53 (Fig. 4), screws or bolts 54, 55 serving to connect the arms'of the bracket 21 and the wrapping head, etc.

As shown in Fig. 3 and as indicated in Fig. 13 the wrapping head 25 overlaps the needle circle at a point immediately in advance of the mouthpiece in which the yarn levers 5 are movably mounted. As shown more clearly in Figs. 7-12 inclusive, the movable thread wrapping elements 43, 44 are provided with butts, the butts on the thread wrapping elements 43 being positioned about middle way of their length as at 56 whereas the butts on the thread wrapping elements 44 are shown at 51. The rotary head 25 consists of a slotted cylinder 58 within the slots of which the movable wrappingelements 43, 44 are mounted, and for the purpose of effecting a sliding movement of the said wrapping elements a cam cylinder 59 is provided, the same comprising a flanged cap 60 .to which is connected as by means of screws 6| a cam ring 62, to which in turn is connected as by means of screws 63 arms 54. To the arms 64 are connected as by means of screws 65, 66 cam rings 61, 68 respectively. The cam rings 62 and 61 provide between them a cam track 69 along which the butts 51 of the wrapping elements 44 are adapted to pass being elevated and depressed at certain times for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Likewise the cam rings 61, 66 form between them a second cam track 10 along which pass the butts 56 of the elements 43 the shape of the said track 10 being such as likewise to depress and elevate the elements 43 as will be hereinafter more fully described.

For the purpose of supporting and preventing rotation of the cap 60 and cam rings 62, 61, 68 connected thereto, a lever H is pivoted at 12 to a post 13 upstanding from the machine frame. One arm of said lever H is pivotally connected to a depending link 74 by means of which the said lever H is automatically actuated at desired times. Projecting laterally through the other arm of the lever H is a pin or shaft I5 which engages within an elongated slot 16 provided in the cam ring 62. A collar or roll 11 on the pin or shaft 15 projects from the other face of the lever ll normally resting upon a cam plate 78 adjustably mounted upon the upper surface of the latch ring 79 so that when the latch ring is swung upon its pivot the said cam 78 by engaging the collar 1! swings the lever 1| upon its pivot 72 thereby causing the pin ?5 to elevate the cam cap 60 and earns 62, 61, 68 connected thereto as well as the cylinder 58, the butts 56, 51 serving to connect the cylinder 59 to the cam carrying cap 60. Furthermore, the pin '15 and elongated slot 16 serve to prevent rotation of the cam carrier 69 with the cylinder 58.

The lever ll may be automatically actuated to elevate the wrapping head 25 to a position well above the needles whenever desirable, as for example, preparatory to transferring a rib top to the cylinder needles. The said lever H may be automatically actuated in any desired manner such as shown in the Lawson patent wherein the lever I20 is similar in construction and function to the lever H.

The several threads are wrapped around their selectively raised needles by the relative rotations of the needle cylinder and wrapping head and due to the fact that the latter is of smaller diameter than the diameter of the needle circle, the needles gain with respect to the wrap threads when such threads are in the positions of the threads I5, [6 and I1, Fig. 13. The needle wrapping is thus effected by the threads being moved from a position within the needle circle to a position on the outside thereof, thereafter by the needles relatively moving past the threads, and finally by the threads being moved back to a position within the needle circle. The said wrap threads pass downwardly .from the source of supply to the needles as hereinbefore described and through a slot 80 provided in a so-called binder plate SI the construction of which is similar to the construction of the plate 280 shown in the Lawson patent. The several thread guides 43 and 44, when they are within the needle circle are positioned above the tops of the needles being lowered by the cams 82, 83 when they pass to the outside of the circle of needles and then being elevated by earns 84, 85 as they cross the path of the needles to a position within the needle circle. To assist in the plating the guides 43, 44 may thereafter be depressed respectively by cams 86 and 87 such depression of the guides causing the threads to be moved to a lower position within the hooks of the needles around which the threads are Wrapped. Thereafter cams 88 and 89 elevate the respective guides 43, 44 to a normal level in which they remain until they are again acted upon by cams 82 and 83. Obviously the raising and lowering of the guides permit the feeding of two difierent threads to closely adjacent sets of needles which would not be possible were the guides to remain in a fixed vertical position with respect to the needles.

When a thread such as the thread 22 has been wrapped around its needles, continued rotation of the wrapping head causes such threadthe end of which is connected to the fabric-to be drawn through a guide 43'or 44 as the case may be, as the separation between the said guide 43 or 44 and the last needle knitting the said wrap thread 22 increases. Thereafter in the knitting cycle as the said needles and the guide 43 or 44 approach one another there is a slackness in the thread produced thereby which is taken up by a take-up lever 39 which swings in the direction of the position shown in Fig. 5 by the action of a spring 99, one end of which is made fast to a collar 9! connected to a rod 92 upstanding from and connected to an arm 93 secured to the rotary bobbin stand 28. To the upper end of the rod 92 is adjustably secured a bracket 94 to which is fixedly but adjustably secured the arm 38 hereinbefore mentioned and an arm 95 both said arms serving as stops to limit the swinging movements of the tension lever 39.

A transparent sheath or covering 96 may surround each bobbin 29 to prevent entanglement of the said thread with adjacent parts.

It will be understood that the mechanism just described and shown in Fig. 5 is duplicated at or adjacent to each bobbin 29.

Immediately below the latch ring I9 are shown the usual sinker head 91 and sinker cap 98, and below the so-called circular base 2 are shown the main cam shaft 99 and the various cams, ratchets and pattern chain associated therewith as is usual in machines of the type disclosed in the Lawson patent. Also the usual pulleys I00 may be availed of for rotating the needle cylinder and other parts associated therewith as well as effecting the periodic movements of the main cam shaft 99 and parts associated therewith. Fur thermore, it will be understood that the pattern drum 6 is provided with ratchet teeth ID! by means of which the same may be periodically racked in any desired manner.

As will be seen from inspection of Figs. 8, 11 and 12, the guides 44 are depressed by the cam 82 and immediately thereafter are again raised by the cam 84, the said guides thus remaining in their lowered, needle wrapping position just long enough to feed thread into the hooks of single needles. On the other hand, each of the guides 43 after being depressed by the cam 83 remain in the relatively lowered and thread feeding position while, a plurality of needles take the thread in their hooks after which the cam 85 elevates.

said guides 43 out of needle wrapping position.

By the construction hereinbefore described the wrap threads are wrapped around selected needles in such a manner that one such thread may be wrapped around one or a group of needles and the immediately adjacent thread may be wrapped around another needle or needles closely adjacent to the needles first mentioned, this being due to the'independent movements imparted to the guides 43, 44. The elevating of the guides to a non-wrapping level or position obviously avoids the wrapping of additional needles and permits the next adjacent guide to move downwardly to a needle wrapping position to wrap a needle or needles closely adjacent to the needles wrapped with the thread first mentioned. In other words,

. the raising of a guide avoids the wrapping of needles with one thread when it is desirable that such needles be wrapped with a second thread only, the lowering of the second guide causing its thread to be wrapped around needles in ad vance of those that would be wrapped with such thread if such guide were not movable.

If stationary guides were used, such for example as those used in Lawson patent 1,702,608, it would not be possible to wrap needles comprehended within the arc of the needle circle corresponding in degrees to the are between two adjacent thread guides; consequently, the present invention contemplates movements of the thread guides independent of the rotary movement of the wrapping head or disc, in such a manner that closely adjacent needles may be wrapped with different threads during the same course of knitting, and although for purposes of illustration vertically movable thread guides have been disclosed, it is not the intention thereby to limit the invention to such vertical movements as it is the function of the appended claims to include such different movements of the thread guides as will accomplish the intended purpose.

I claim:

1. A circular knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder, means for-feeding atleast one main yarn to the needles and. supplemental means for wrapping one or more threads around selected needles, the said supplemental means consisting of a rotary head eccentrically disposed and having mounted therein movable thread guides, the movements thereof being such as to move the guides from positions above the tops of the needles when such guides are within the circle of needles to a relatively lower position with respect to the hooks of the needles when the guides are on the outside of the needle circle.

2. A circular knitting machine of the rotary needle cylinder type including means for feeding one or more yarns to all of the needles, supplemental means including guides for wrapping threads around selected needles consisting of a member rotatable in time with the needle cylinder, and other means for causing the thread guides to move vertically and in the direction of the needles to position the guides to feed threads vertically slidable guides, and a relatively stationary cam mechanism adapted to impart sliding movements to the thread guides, the said vertical movements of the thread guides assisting in efiecting the wrapping of closely adjacent groups of needles with difierent wrap threads.

4. A circular knitting machine of the inde pendent needle type having a rotary needle cylinder and in combination therewith mechanism for wrapping threads around selected needles such means consisting of a head rotatable in time with the needle cylinder and with its axis eccentric to the axis of the needle cylinder, the periphery of the needle cylinder being greater than the periphery of the wrapping head, guides carried by the wrapping head and movable lengthwise of the needles for independently wrapping threads around selected needles, the threads. passing through said guides being so controlled in their movements to and from the needles that adjacent threads are wrapped around needles more closely adjacent than the number of needles in an arc of the needle circle corresponding in degrees to the are between adjacent thread guides.

5. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having a rotary needle cylinder and in combination therewith a wrapping head rotated in time with the needle cylinder, the effective periphery of the wrapping head being less than that of theneedle circle, in combination with means including vertically movable thread guides for wrapping at least two threads around selected needles in such a manner that closely adjacent needles can be wrapped with different threads during the same course of knitting.

6. A circular knitting machine of the rotary needle cylinder type wherein yarns are fed to all of the needles and threads are wrapped around selected needles, means including vertically movable guides for maintaining a thread in needle wrapping position for a period so as to effect the wrapping of a plurality of needles during a course of knitting and for maintaining another thread in needle wrapping position for a shorter period and then elevating such thread so as to effect the wrapping of a less number of needles during the same course of knitting, the said vertical movements of the thread guides assisting in effecting the wrapping of closely adjacent groups of needles with different wrap threads.

7. A circular knitting machine of the rotary needle cylinder type including means for feeding one or more yarns to all of the needles, supplemental means including guides for wrapping threads around selected needles consisting of a member rotatable in time with the needle cylinder, other means for causing the thread guides to move vertically and in the direction of the needles to position the guides to feed threads into the hooks of selected needles and thereafter to cause the said thread guides to move to separate the threads from the main yarn or yarns and thereby effect the plating of the wrap threads.

8. A circular knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder in which are mounted latch needles, means for feeding one or more yarns to other means for causing the thread guides to moveto such a position with respect to the needle latches as to effect a separation of the wrap threads with respect to the main yarn or yarns, such movement of the guides occurring after the said guides have been moved to a position within the needle circle.

9. A circular knitting machine having a rotary needle cylinder in which are mounted latch needles, means for feeding one or more yarns to all the needles, supplemental means including guides for, wrapping threads around selected needles consisting of a member rotatable in time with the needle cylinder and adapted in its rotations to move the guides from a position within the needle circle to a position to the outside there of and again to a position within the needle circle, other means for causing the thread guides to move vertically to a position to feed their threads to needles in advance of those that would otherwise receive such threads, for causing the thread guides to be elevated after they have fed their threads to selected needles, and then for causing the thread guides to move to such a position with respect to the needle latches as to effect a separation of the wrap threads with respect to the main yarn or yarns, such movement of the guides occurring after the said guides have been moved to a position within the needle circle.

10. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle typehaving a rotatable needle cylinder and having means for feeding a main yarn or yarns to all of the needles, and supplemental means, including individually movable guides, for wrapping two or more threads around selected needles of groups of needles, the wrapping means being rotatable in time with the needle cylinder to move the guides to the outside of the needle cylinder and the individual guides when on the outside of the needle cylinder being moved down to such a position as to feed their threads to needles in advance of needles that would be fed with such threads if the guides were not individually movable, the said downward movements of the thread guides assisting in effecting the wrapping of closely adjacent groups of needles with different wrap threads.

11. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having means for feeding one or more yarns to all the needles. and supplemental means, including thread guides, rotatable in time with the needle cylinder for wrapping two or more threads around selected needles, adjacent thread guides being individually and vertically movable in such a manner that one such guide remains in the feeding position for a longer period of time than the other thread guide.

12. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having a rotary needle cylinder, means for feeding one or more yarns to all the needles, and supplemental means including thread guides for wrapping two or more threads around selected needles of groups of needles, the supplemental, wrapping means being rotatable in time with the needle cylinder and adapted in its rotations to move the threads from within the needlecylinder to the outside thereof and back again within the needle cylinder, the wrapping means including a slotted cylinder within which the guides are individually and vertically movable, and stationary means for effecting the individual and vertical movements of the thread guides, the construction being such that different wrap threads may be fed to closely adjacent groups of needles.

13. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having a rotary needle cylinder, means for feeding one or more yarns to all the needles, and supplemental means including thread guides for wrapping two or more threads around selected needles of groups of needles. the supplemental, wrapping means being rotatable in time with the needle cylinder and adapted in its rotations to move the threads from within the needle cylinder to the outside thereof and back again within the needle cylinder, the wrapping means including a slotted cylinder within which the guides are individually and vertically movable, stationary means including two cam tracks for separately controlling the individual and vertical movements of adjacent guides, the construction being such that different wrap threads may be fed to closely adjacent groups of needles.

14. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having means for feeding a main yarn or yarns to all the needles, supplemental means for wrapping two or more threads around selected needles of groups of needles, said wrapping means being rotatable in time with the needle cylinder and including individually and vertically movable guides which after feeding their threads to the desired needles are elevated to avoid feeding their threads to undesired needles.

15. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having means for feeding a main yarn or yarns to all the needles, supplemental means for wrapping two or more threads around selected needles of groups of needles, said wrapping means being rotatable in time with the needle cylinder and including individually and vertically movable guides which are moved downwardly to feed their threads to needles in advance of needles which would otherwise receive such threads, said thread guides after feeding their threads to the desired number of needles being elevated to avoid feeding their threads to undesired needles.

16. In a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder and independently operated needles therein, a wrapping head mounted for rotation eccentrically of the needle cylinder, means Within said head for mounting a series of wrapping guides for vertical sliding movements, and a relatively stationary cam adapted to impart said sliding movements to the guides.

1'7. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having means [or feeding a main yarn or yarns to all the needles, and supplemental means including an eccentrically mounted wrapping head with a plurality of vertically movable thread guidestherein, for wrapping two or more threads around selected needles, the wrapping means being rotatable in time with the needle cylinder and the individual guides being so controlled that when on the outside of the needle cylinder they will be moved down to a position to feed their threads to needles in advance of needles that would be fed with such threads if the guides were not individually movable.

18. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having means for feeding one or more yarns to all the needles, and supplemental means, including an eccentrically mounted wrapping head with a plurality of vertically slidable thread guides therein, rotatable in time with the needle cylinder for wrapping two or more threads around selected needles, adjacent thread guides being individually and vertically movable in such a manner that one such guide remains in the feeding position for a longer period ofv time than the other thread guide.

19. A circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having means for feeding a main yarn or yarns to all the needles, supplemental means for wrapping two or more threads around selected needles, said wrapping means being eccentrically mounted and rotatable in time with the needle cylinder and including individually movable guides which are moved downwardly to feed their threads to needles in advance of needles which would otherwise receive such threads, said thread guides after feeding their threads to the desired number of needles being elevated to avoid feeding their threads to undesired needles.

ROBERT H. LAWSON. 

